Stocking and shoe protector



Oct. 8, 1929.

E. R. WHA RTON STOCKTNG AND SHOE PROTECTOR Filed May 17, 1928 Zia/4M1}? 2001 4 I 1 0AM (L5 Patented Oct. 8, 1929....

UNITED STATES EDWARD R. WHARTON, OF MEDFORD," MASSACHUSETTS STOCKING AND SHOE 'PROTEC'IOR Application filed May 17,

The object of this invention is to provide a waterproof legging of simple and durable construction, adapted to closely fit the leg of the wearer below the knee and overlap por- 5 tions of the shoe, to exclude moisture from all of the surfaces on which it bears, and to be foldedin small compass, so that it may be conveniently carried in a hand bag.

I attain this and other related objects by 10 the improved construction and combination of parts and materials hereinafter described and claimed. I v

Of the accompanying .drawings forming a part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a side view of a legging embodying the invention.

r Figure 2 is a front view of the same.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side View, showing the lower end portion of one of the body 20 sections.

Figure 4 is a side view' of one of the cuff sections.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sec: tion on line 55 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section on line 66 of Figure 2.

' Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary section on line 77 of Figure 1. I

The same reference characters indicate the 30 same parts in all of the figures.

12, 12 designate two body sections oflimp inextensible waterproof material collectively constituting a legging body formed to fit the wearers leg below the knee, and enlarged at its lower end to overlap portions of the shoe upper. The rear edges of the sections 12 are united by a vertical seam 13, preferably formed as shown by Figure 7, and extending from end to *end of the legging. The front longitudinal edges 14 ofthe sections 12, are spaced apart, as shown by Figures 2 and 6. To the edges 14 are attached, as by stitches 15, (Figure 6), two relatively stiff reinforcing stay strips 16, forming the edges of a vertical front opening in the legging.

21 designates a continuous flexible border or binding, attached as by stitches 18, to the enlarged lower end of the legging body, and to the lower ends of the stay strips 16, said border being stifi'er than the material of the 1928. Serial No. 278,436.

body and extending around the lower'end of the body so that.it closes the lower end of the front opening formed by the stay strips 16, the border being preferably composed of rubber or rubberized fabric, so that it is waterproof, and preferably provided with a bea ded lower edge 21, as shown by Fig. 5.

The edges of the front opening formed by the stay strips 16, are'separable from each other above the border 21, to permit the application and removal of the legging, and the stay strips 16 are provided with fastening means, whereby they may be separably con-' nected to close said opening.

The staystrips and fastenin means may Y constitute afastening device 0 well known character, such as is commonly used for separably connecting the edge of elongated openings in tobacco pouches, and other flexible articles, the stay strips being preferably textile fabric tapes'provided with alternating interlocking tongues, indicated conventionally at 23 (Figures 2 and 6). A slide indicated at 24 (Figure 2) is movable crosswise of the tongues and adapted, when moved in '75 one direction, to cause the interenga'gement of the tongues, and when moved in the opposite direction, to permit the separation of the tongues from each other. I provide meansfor releasably contractingthe upper end of the legging around the leg to prevent downward slipping of the body. Said means comprising a contractile garter strip 26 of elastic webbing, extending through a hem or pocket 25 coextensive with the upper .end of the legging. The ends of the garter strip are :attached to the ends of the pocket :and its major portion,between the attached ends, is free. The strip ends may be conveniently attached to the pocket ends by stitches securing to the pocket the socket member 27 and the stud member 28 (Figure 2) of anordinary snap fastener. When the members 27 and 28- are interengaged, the ends of the pocket and the ends of the garter 95. strip are so connected that the strip becomes a continuous garter, which is stretched by the leg so that it hugs the leg and prevents the upper end of the legging body from slipping downward. i500 constitutin a legging a the knee, said body being the front opening,

A tab 29 may be fixed to one end of the pocket 26, and is adapted to overlap the opposite end. A stud member 30, fixed to the tab, is adapted to engage a socket member 31, fixed to the portion of the pocket overlapped by the tab.

To the lower ends of thebody-sections 12 and stay strips '16, are attached, as by the stitches 18, and by an upper row of stitches 33, two cuff sections 34:, also of limp inextensible waterproof material, constituting a reinforcing cuff which is open at the front of the legging body, the sections 34 having spaced apart forward ends 35 (Figure 2).

The 'cufl' thus attached, ornaments the lower end of the legging and increases its thickness and'resistance to wear, the reinforcement afforded by the cuff, and that afforded by the border 18, preventing the lower end of the legging from wrinkling or cockling,

To prevent the entrance of moisture into the crevice which exists between the stay strips 16,, when they are connected to close I provide a flexible waterproof fiap 36 (Figure 6), preferably of the same material as the body sections '12. The flap is attached, as by the stitches 15, at one side of the front opening, to one of the stay strips 16, at the inner side thereof, and is formed to extend across said crevice and overl-ap the inner side of the other stay strip. The best material of which I am aware for the body sections, 12, is the sheet material used for making light weight waterproof garments, and known as China silk. This waterproof material is sufficiently limp, thin and flexible to permit the legging to be compactly folded. It is also sufficiently transparent to show the color of a stocking covered by the legging.

Although China silk is extremely limp, legging composed thereof is confined smoothly on leg and shoe surfaces by the relatively stiff stay strips 16, the relatively stiff border 21, and the described upper end contracting means, when the front opening formed by the stay and the border 21 have considerably less inherent flexibility than the sheet material of the body, so that they are adapted to conform closely to the surfaces on which they bear, and therefore cause the close conformation of the body to said surfaces.

A cross strap 37 adapted to extend across the shank portion of the shoe sole is attached to the border 21, as indicated by Figures 1 and 2.

' I claim:

A protective legging comprising two longitudinally extending body sections collectively body formed to fit the wearers leg below enlarged at its lower end to overlap portions of a'shoe, and having a pocket coextensive with its upper end, the sections having rear strips is closed. The stay strips 16 front edges and forming the edges of a longitudinal front opening in the body, a continuous flexible border, attached to and extending entirely around and reinforcing the enlargedend of the body, said border being stiffer than the legging body and closing the lower end of the front opening, means for separably connecting the stay strips to close the front opening, and'means for contracting the upper end of the legging body around the leg, to preventdownward slipping of the body, said contracting means including an elastic garter strip extending through said pocket and attached thereto only at its ends, and fastener members attached to the ends of the garter strip and to the ends of the pocket, the body sections being composed of limp nonextensible Waterproof material and. confined smoothly on leg and shoe surfaces by the stay strips, the border, and the upper end contracting means, when the front opening is closed.

In testimony Whereof- I have affixed my the 

